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Angler who was allegedly baiting otters identified: ACRES

​SINGAPORE — The man who was allegedly trying to bait otters with a fishing hook at Kallang River has been identified, said the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES).

SINGAPORE — The man who was allegedly trying to bait otters with a fishing hook at Kallang River has been identified, said the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES).

The man has also come forward to the police and is assisting in the investigation, said the animal welfare group on its Facebook page on Friday night (Oct 23)

 

On Thursday, PUB and ACRES said they were trying to identify the angler who was allegedly baiting a group of otters with a fishing hook at the stretch of Kallang River near Toa Payoh Lorong 8 on Tuesday (Oct 20).

When contacted, the PUB said it had received feedback on a video showing an otter hooked by a fishing line at the location, and was “dismayed” at the incident.

Noting that fishing is currently not allowed at waterways, PUB told TODAY that it is currently investigating the incident, and welcomed any information from the public that can help it identify the angler. Under the Public Utilities (Reservoirs, Catchment Areas and Waterways) Regulations, those caught fishing at no-fishing areas may be fined up to S$3,000.

A video, which has been shared on social media, showed a man appearing to deliberately lure a group of five otters with his fishing line, while bystanders watched. One of the pups squeaked in distress after it got caught by the fishing hook. The injured otter was later seen to be limping. A follow-up video posted showed that the pup appeared to have recovered, with the fishing line fallen off.

The videos were captured and posted online by someone who goes by the moniker Fast Snail. Fast Snail also wrote on Facebook that he had also reported the incident to the National Parks Board (NParks), PUB and the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES).

“Managed to find the Bishan-AMK Otter family this morning (Oct 22). The fishing line is off and no visible hook on the otter pup. The pup is no longer limping. Hopefully, there is no fishing hook under its fur. If there’s one, and it rusts. It will be a big problem,” wrote Fast Snail.

ACRES Deputy Chief Executive Anbarasi Boopal, 32, expressed her gratitude for the prompt action by the member of the public in reporting the incident. Ms Anbarasi said ACRES is urging the relevant authorities to take action against the individual involved as his actions were “definitely cruel”. 

The animal welfare group, which sought more information on the identity of the angler on Facebook, said it was in touch with the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore and PUB.

Photo of the angler shared on Facebook by ACRES.

No attempt will be made to treat the otter since it does not seem to be in further distress. "We have verified that the fishing line is no longer on the otter and there is no need to rescue the otter at this point. We will continue to monitor the situation", said ACRES.

Moving forward, Ms Anbarasi suggested that Singaporeans try to leave the otters alone, even as they encroach on our urban spaces. “They are curious animals and they may be curious about their environment and their habitat. We advise people not to approach or try to feed them. Do not encourage any wild animals to get close.”

NParks provided the same advice, listing the Do’s and Don’ts when encountering the otters such as keeping one’s distance to avoid frightening them.

Earlier on Tuesday, a group of otters, suspected to be the same five involved in the Kallang River incident, roamed around St Andrew’s Junior College. The incident has sparked widespread amusement online.

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